Instacart has introduced a new in-app search experience, Ask Instacart, which combines the company’s AI tools with the language models of ChatGPT to give customers suggestions on meal prep. Based on previous usage patterns, the feature will present questions to the customer and provide useful information, including meal suggestions and recommended ingredients. Customers will also benefit from the speed and convenience of the delivery service, with ingredients able to be delivered as fast as an hour after ordering. The service will be rolled out to a select group of users initially, before being made more widely available. The company hopes Ask Instacart will become a cornerstone of customers’ culinary shopping experience.
JJ Zhuang, chief architect for Instacart, expressed hope that Ask Instacart will streamline the customer’s experience by making food planning and shopping together seamless. The company is employing a series of AI tools, starting with its own original plugin for ChatGPT, to ensure the customer experience is as smooth as possible.
In this new feature, the language models of ChatGPT are combined with Instacart’s AI tools to deliver a new search experience. When it comes to meal prep, customers will have the ability to ask questions directly from the search bar, with suggested ingredients and meal options provided as a result. The feature will begin rolling out to customers on June 1, with the company planning to extend this to the entire customer base in the coming months.
